Tuesday, 27 Nov 2018

Written Answers Nos. 480-497

Basic Payment Scheme Payments

Questions (480)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

480. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of a payment for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49352/18]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

A 2018 Basic Payment/Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) application was received in respect of the person named on 21 March 2018. Processing of this application has been completed in respect of both schemes. Payment under the Basic Payment Scheme has issued and will be in the nominated bank account in the coming days. Payment under the ANC scheme will issue shortly.

GLAS Payments

Questions (481)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

481. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) will have recalculations completed and receive a GLAS payment for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49384/18]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The person named was approved into GLAS 1 and has received payments for 2015, 2016 and 2017. The Department has undertaken a review of 2015 and 2016 GLAS payments. This case has been identified as one of a small number due an additional payment due to an underpayment in 2016. The payment will be made shortly. GLAS payments continue to issue on a weekly basis.

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Questions (482)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

482. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the fees paid and services rendered to a person (details supplied) in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49416/18]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has not paid any fees or engaged the services of the person or the company named (details supplied) in the years 2013 to 2017 and 2018 to date.

Agriculture Scheme Appeals

Questions (483)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

483. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a decision will be made by the Agriculture Appeals Office in respect of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49527/18]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Agriculture Appeals Office has confirmed that an appeal was received on 7 June 2018. The appeal was then forwarded by the Appeals Office to my Department with a request for the file papers and a statement concerning the appeal.  When my Department examined the documents received from the Agriculture Appeals Office my Department's decision that was the subject of the appeal was partially revised, the outcome of which resulted in a part payment being due to the appellants. The appellants are proceeding with the appeal on the remaining penalty included in my Department's decision. The Agriculture Appeals Office requested the Department file and statement which was received on 22 October 2018 and the case was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 23 October 2018. The Appeals Office will be in contact with the appellants shortly to arrange the oral hearing of their appeal.

Climate Change Adaptation Plans

Questions (484)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

484. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide a timeline for the development of his Department's specific climate change targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49560/18]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department is actively engaged as part of the whole of Government approach to transitioning to a low-carbon, competitive, sustainable and climate resilient economy and society. This transition approach is not based on sectoral specific targets: rather, each sector is engaging in a process to identify and implement climate mitigation policy measures and action to meet the 2020 and 2030 climate targets.

A key part of this process has been the development of the National Mitigation Plan (NMP) which my Department contributed a series of mitigation actions and measures for the agriculture and land use sector including forestry . These measures not only focus on the mitigation of greenhouse gases and improving resource efficiency but are also aimed at restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems related to building resilience of agricultural production systems (i.e. adaptation).

My Department, along with other government departments, provides quarterly progress reports to the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Energy, who are the lead department in this respect. As part of the on-going review, a number of additional measures and actions are developed by my Department for the sector. By way of example, the most recently announced new measures include: Forestry Knowledge Transfer Groups ( sharing best practices in the forest sector), the Woodland Environment Fund (providing access to additional incentives for native woodland planting) and the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot. - This builds on the success of the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (measure AF2A in NMP) and is a new pilot scheme targeted at efficiency improvements for suckler farmers.

Whilst the mitigation potential for Agriculture is indeed limited, Agriculture can and must play a key role in contributing to Ireland's climate change and energy targets in the year ahead.

Waste Disposal Charges

Questions (485, 489)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

485. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of the provision of an annual support towards the cost of pay-by-weight bin charges for homes which have a family member using incontinence pads; when details of this scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48855/18]

Brendan Griffin

Question:

489. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider introducing a bin charge waiver for households that have to dispose of incontinence wear; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48974/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 485 and 489 together.

My Department is continuing the work of developing a mechanism to provide a €75 support for vulnerable persons with a condition such as lifelong or long-term medical incontinence to help meet the average annual cost of disposing of their domestic waste. I am informed that this process has taken longer than envisaged, due to a number of issues, including data protection issues that have arisen since the introduction of GDPR.  However, I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to introducing an annual support as soon as practically possible in conjunction with relevant agencies and stakeholders.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (486)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

486. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when a person (details supplied) will receive a broadband connection. [48922/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.  The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage of the procurement process. I note that there is some deployment of infrastructure by eir as part of that company’s commercial rural fibre rollout in the area referred to by the Deputy.

eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is a commercial undertaking, and not part of the planned State Intervention network. Although the deployment is monitored under the terms of a Commitment Agreement signed between the company and my Department, it is not funded by the State and it is not planned, designed or directed by my Department in any capacity. 

The selection of what premises are to be served under eir’s deployment is an internal decision for that company. My Department has no statutory authority or function to intervene in the company’s commercial decisions, nor in any decisions relating to the roll out and siting of infrastructure throughout Ireland by service providers operating in a liberalised market.

For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.

Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen.  These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities.  The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements.

Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan

Questions (487)

Mick Barry

Question:

487. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on planned offshore wind farms; the status of planning and procurement for prospective offshore wind farms; the status of offshore wind farms being built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48871/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

My Department published the Offshore Renewable Energy Development Plan (OREDP) in 2014 which set out policy for the sustainable development of our abundant offshore renewable energy resources. An interim review of the OREDP was published in May and is available on my Department’s website www.dccae.gov.ie. The Offshore Renewable Energy Steering Group, which oversees the implementation of the OREDP is progressing the recommendations of the review and continuing the work of implementing the actions and enablers set out in the Plan.

My Department has also developed the new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS) which was approved by Government in July 2018 and it is expected that the first renewable electricity auctions will take place under RESS in 2019. The economic appraisal undertaken for RESS involved comparing the cost of supporting a range of commercial renewable technologies, including offshore wind, to ensure that the new scheme delivers value for money for energy users whilst also delivering on the energy pillars of sustainability and security of supply. Technology diversity will occur naturally as the scheme matures and certain intervention levers may be used within each auction round to promote certain policy objectives such as community participation, community ownership and diversifying the renewable energy mix.

The RESS has been designed to deliver Ireland’s contribution towards an EU-wide renewable energy target of 32% out to 2030, within a competitive auction-based, cost effective framework. The scheme will provide for a renewable electricity (RES-E) ambition of up to a maximum of 55% by 2030 subject to determining the cost effective level which will be set out in the National Energy and Climate Plan.

The development and consenting of specific offshore windfarms under the Foreshore Act is a matter for the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (488)

Michael McGrath

Question:

488. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of including relevant coverage statistics for broadband provision in a village (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48954/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

In April 2017 my Department published an updated High Speed Broadband Map which is available at www.broadband.gov.ie. This map shows the areas targeted by commercial operators to provide high speed broadband services and the areas that will be included in the State Intervention Area under the National Broadband Plan. The Map is colour coded and searchable by address/Eircode:

- The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.

- The BLUE represent those areas where commercial providers are either currently delivering or have plans to deliver high speed broadband services. 

- The LIGHT BLUE areas represent eir's commercial rural deployment plans to rollout high speed broadband to 300,000 premises as part of a Commitment Agreement signed with my Department in April 2017.

There are 290 premises in the townland of Monkstown. 115 (40%) fall within the AMBER area and will be served under the State led Intervention, while 175 (60%) are in a BLUE area and are or will be served by commercial operators. Information on categories of specific premises can be accessed on my Department’s website, www.broadband.gov.ie, by entering the relevant Eircode into the High Speed Broadband Map.

The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage.  For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.

Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen.  These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities.  The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements.

Question No. 489 answered with Question No. 485.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (490)

Peter Burke

Question:

490. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the supply of broadband for persons (details supplied). [49063/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

The premises referred to by the Deputy are in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process.  The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage. For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.

Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen.  These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities.  The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements.

Environmental Policy

Questions (491)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

491. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will consider introducing a pilot programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49155/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

The Single Use Plastics proposal, published this year, is an EU-wide action plan to tackle single use plastic items commonly found as litter in the marine environment. This includes a proposed 90% collection target for plastic bottles and nationally we need to consider how this could be attained. A Deposit and Return Scheme has been identified as one option for Member States to consider as a means to achieve the new, higher collection target. I have agreed to commission a national study into how we can achieve this proposed new collection rate. I recognise the challenges presented by littering and I believe that a multi-facetted approach is required, incorporating effective enforcement, public awareness and education. Educating the young people of this country is key to affecting a long term change in society’s attitudes towards litter. My Department supports a number of national anti-litter initiatives including, amongst others, the Local Authority Anti-Litter Awareness Grants, the National Spring Clean Campaign and the Green Schools Programme.

My Department currently provides funding to An Taisce for the operation of the Green Schools programme. Green-Schools is Ireland’s leading environmental management and education programme for schools with in excess of 90% of all Irish schools currently participating in the programme. The Irish Green-Schools programme is one of the most successful within the international network. The aim of Green-Schools is to increase students’ and participant awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community. My Department also provides funding to Eco-Unesco for the operation of the Young Environmentalist Awards which is open to young people between the ages of 10 and 18.

Climate Change Negotiations

Questions (492, 493, 494)

Seán Crowe

Question:

492. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he has submitted a request to make a statement during the high-level segments of COP24; and if not, the reason. [49159/18]

Seán Crowe

Question:

493. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if all written submissions and preparatory work being done by his Department in advance of the COP24 climate conference will be published. [49160/18]

Seán Crowe

Question:

494. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the bilateral meetings, notwithstanding that they may not be finalised, that officials from his Department are planning to conduct during the COP24 conference. [49161/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 to 494, inclusive, together.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will hold its 24th Conference of the Parties (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland, from 2 to 14 December 2018. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement at COP 21 in 2015, the focus of global negotiations has turned to the design of the rule-book which will enable the full implementation of the Agreement.

Parties to the UNFCCC have committed to concluding this process at COP 24. This meeting will also feature the global assessment of the adequacy of climate ambition to date with the conclusion of the Talanoa Dialogue process initiated by the Fijian Presidency of COP 23.

I intend to deliver Ireland’s National Statement to the COP during the high level segment in the second week of the COP. In relation to the publication of written submissions, Ireland engages in negotiations under the UNFCCC through its membership of the European Union. All Parties to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, including the EU, regularly make written submissions on a range of topics relevant to ongoing negotiations. Written submissions are published through the UNFCCC written submissions portal at  www4.unfccc.int/sites/submissionsstaging/Pages/Home.aspx.

Ireland’s participation in COP meetings provides an opportunity to hold a variety of bilateral meetings with both participants and observers in attendance. While the schedule of bilateral meetings for COP 24 has not yet been finalised, at previous COPs meetings have taken place with representatives of civil society from Ireland, with EU and third country Ministerial counterparts, with representatives of other UNFCCC negotiating groups, and with representatives of organisations to which Ireland provides financial support for climate action in developing countries, including the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, and the NDC Partnership.

Ireland and its EU partners look forward to positive engagement by all Parties to the Agreement to ensure a successful conclusion to negotiations at COP 24 so that the Paris Agreement can become fully operational.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (495)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

495. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a school (details supplied) can be included on the fibre broadband line being installed in the area; if not, the date for the roll-out of high-speed broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49294/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

The school referred to in the Question is located in the AMBER area on the High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP and are the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to appoint a bidder for the State intervention network is now at the final stage.

I note that there is some deployment of infrastructure by eir as part of that company’s rural fibre rollout in the area referred to by the Deputy.

eir’s rural investment in high speed broadband is an entirely commercial undertaking, and not part of the planned State Intervention network. Although the deployment is monitored under the terms of a Commitment Agreement signed between the company and my Department, it is not funded by the State and it is not planned, designed or directed by my Department in any capacity. 

The selection of what premises are to be served under eir’s deployment is an internal and commercial decision for that company. My Department has no statutory authority or function to intervene in the company’s commercial decisions, nor in any decisions relating to the roll out and siting of infrastructure throughout Ireland by service providers operating in a liberalised market.

For those premises currently awaiting access to high speed broadband, practical initiatives will continue to be addressed through the work of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce to address obstacles and improve connectivity in respect of existing and future mobile phone and broadband services.

Under this Taskforce, engagement between telecommunications operators and local authorities through the Broadband Officers is continuing to strengthen.  These Broadband Officers are acting as single points of contact in local authorities for their communities.  The appointment of these officers is already reaping rewards in terms of ensuring a much greater degree of consistency in engagements.

Inland Waterways Maintenance

Questions (496)

Kevin O'Keeffe

Question:

496. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment further to Parliamentary Question No. 189 of 22 November 2017, the progress made regarding the removal of a weir (details supplied). [49377/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Under the terms of a judicial review and an agreement in the High Court between my Department and the owners of the weir, Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are managing the works required and the owners of the weir will pay all reasonable associated costs.  IFI are managing the removal of the structure so as to minimise the impact on flora, fauna and habitat in the river and to ensure the free and uninterrupted passage of migratory fish, as required by National and European legislation.

My Department and IFI have been advised that the works require an application under the Planning Acts.  IFI have worked closely with consultant engineers and tendered for surveys of the site to secure topographical, architectural, archaeological, geomorphological, hydrological, and appropriate assessment reports. These surveys were required to compile the necessary information for the design and planning processes.

All surveys have been completed and I am advised that a planning notice regarding the weir is scheduled to be published this week, with submission of the planning file to Cork County Council expected two weeks later.

Waste Management

Questions (497)

Michael McGrath

Question:

497. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the next review of the national waste management strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49405/18]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

A review of "A Resource Opportunity - Waste Management Policy in Ireland" will be initiated in 2019. The review, in tandem with other initiatives, such as the European circular economy waste and plastics legislation framework and reports from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Price Monitoring Group, will inform the development of a future national waste management policy, including our environmental goals, regulatory and market structures, and policy instruments and tools.